Protecting Beca (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

  Protecting Beca (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

  Kate Kinsley

  Contents

  Foreword

  Introduction

  1. Jase

  2. Jase

  3. Beca

  4. Beca

  5. Jase

  6. Beca

  7. Jase

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Kate Kinsley

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Books by Susan Stoker

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2019 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Cover Design by:

  Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Editing by:

  My Brother’s Editor

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the Special Forces: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!

  If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.

  This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.

  I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!

  READ ON!

  Xoxo

  Susan Stoker

  About the book

  Detonation in five...four...three...

  All Rebeca Shaw wanted was to have a girls-only getaway with three of her closest friends. She never expected to meet the gorgeous, super sweet Navy SEAL that sweeps her off her feet.

  Special Warfare Operator Jason Buckley of SEAL team Alpha is the fifth wheel on a luxurious Caribbean vacation. He’s afraid of commitment.

  Afraid of loving someone and not coming home.

  Afraid of someone finding out his darkest secrets.

  But one glimpse of Beca has him rethinking everything.

  It's love at first sight, but now their feelings will be put to the test.

  One pleasure cruise.

  One random circumstance.

  One chance at saving the lives of innocent civilians – including his new-found love.

  When danger surrounds them, does Jason have what it takes to protect Beca?

  Introduction

  The Navy Sea, Air, and Land Forces – commonly known as SEALs – are expertly trained to deliver highly specialized and intensely challenging warfare capabilities beyond the means of standard military forces.

  ~ Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

  Jase

  “Rest and relaxation. Just what the doctor ordered after months of sweatin’ our asses off in the desert,” Dalton comments as he puts his arm around Ava. Dalton’s the leader of SEAL team Alpha, and one of my closest friends. He and his new girlfriend, Ava, insisted I come with them on vacation to Paradise Island in the Bahamas after we got back from our tour in Afghanistan.

  It sounded like a good idea at the time, but looking at these two lovebirds…I’m starting to regret my decision.

  I run my fingers through my short, dark hair. “I dunno Cap, this feels weird.”

  “Aw, Jason! You’re family. Don’t be silly,” Ava scolds with a smile. She tucks herself in closer to Dalton, placing her head on his chest.

  It’s almost sickening.

  “Third wheel isn’t exactly my style,” I quip.

  “Technically, you’d be a fifth wheel,” Hunter “Cookie” Knox chimes in – his arm around his wife, Fiona. Dalton and I met Cookie in boot camp years ago. We worked hard, and the three of us were hand-picked to be SEALs. After months of training, Dalton and I went to one team while Cookie went to another. We don’t see each other often, which is one of the reasons I agreed to this ridiculousness.

  Rolling my eyes, I answer, “Whatever. It’s still uncomfortable.”

  “Maybe you’ll get lucky,” Dalton teases, giving me a playful shove.

  “Maybe you can kiss my ass,” I mutter under my breath.

  “Heard that! Now, c’mon. Let’s go check in so I can hit the bar.” Dalton and Ava take the lead and saunter toward the steps leading to the lobby. I let Hunter and Fiona go ahead and hang back.

  Massive white pillars appear to reach to the sky as we walk up the marble stairs. Rustic benches flank the double door entrance, with ceiling fans lightly blowing air down on us. A well-dressed employee of the hotel stands next to the entrance. “Welcome to the Ocean Club,” he says with a smile as we enter. We’re then ushered into an elegant lobby by a host of friendly staff members.

  The small room is bright and spacious…and crowded. As Dalton and Ava walk to one of the desks at the back of the lobby, Cookie and Fiona go out the large glass back doors toward the beach. I move toward the wall and people watch.

  Observation is an important trait.

  I always check my surroundings – you never know what might happen.

  The room is buzzing with happy couples grinning from ear to ear, probably here on their honeymoon or anniversary. The romantic atmosphere is enough to make me want to hurl. With a sigh, I lean on the wall and glance over the room, not noticing anything of importance.

  Just as I’m growing bored with the audience, Ava bounces over, the excitement of a vacation with her love oozing from her pores. “Ready?” she asks. Her enthusiastic tone is almost catchy.

  Almost.

  “Sure,” I mutter as I follow her.

  One of the staff members leads us down a winding path to a large villa on the beach. “Here at the Ocean Club, we define ourselves by the highest level of luxury and service we can provide,” the gentleman tells us as we enter. “In addition to all of the amenities typically offered at a five-star property, every Ocean Club guest receives complimentary butler service.”

  “That can come in handy if we don’t want to leave the bedroom,” Cookie points out to Fiona, and she giggles.

  I shake my head as I roll my eyes.

  This is going to be a really long week.

  “The butlers are friendly and attentive and they will assist with anything and everything you might need during your stay.”

  “Anything?” Cookie asks as he waggles his eyebrows. Fiona smacks him upside the head. “Ow,” he mutters rubbing his skull.

  “For fuck’s sake,” I mutter under my breath. Cookie hears me and turns his head slightly, just enough for me to witness his face shining with the malice of his gloating.

  Ava glances back at Cookie as she tries to usher out the poor employee. “Thank you, very much,” Ava says and smiles as Dalton slips him a tip.

  I try and change the su
bject.

  “Christ, where did you get the cash for this place. Must cost a fortune,” I mutter as the employee takes his leave.

  “It’s real fancy,” Cookie agrees, still rubbing the back of his head.

  The villa is huge – it must be at least four thousand square feet which is bigger than my house. The vaulted ceilings make it appear even larger. Dalton moves to the back of the room and opens the folding doors to sprawling views of not just the ocean, but the infinity pool.

  “This is so cool!” Ava exclaims with delight, holding up a pamphlet that was left on the dining room table. “This is the same villa James Bond stayed in, in that movie…Dalton, what was the name of that movie?” she asks, putting the paper down.

  Dalton chuckles. “Casino Royale.”

  “Yes, that’s the one!” She grabs Fiona’s hand and yanks her farther into the villa.

  “My point made. Damn, Dalton! Did you come into an inheritance? We don’t make this kind of money.” Between the polished marble floors and rich wood walls and furniture, this place has to be thousands a night.

  “Don’t worry about it, Jase. It’s all taken care of.” He picks up his bags from the floor and carries them toward one of the oceanfront bedrooms. “Cookie, you take the bedroom on the right – it has a king bed.”

  “Roger that,” Cookie answers.

  “Jase, you can have the queen room off the foyer over there,” Dalton says, motioning with his head to his left.

  “It seems Fiona beat me to it,” Cookie calls out over his shoulder as he enters his suite.

  I pick up my bag and bring it to my designated room. It’s spacious, even though it’s the smaller room. I don’t have the oceanfront view like the other two rooms, but who cares. My room is only to sleep in, anyway. I toss my duffel on one of the chairs in the corner.

  Kicking off my shoes, I hop onto the comfortable bed and lie down with my hands underneath my head. This is the perfect time to take a little siesta.

  Beca

  “This place is gorgeous,” I whisper as I exit the cab. “The Versailles-inspired lawns and gardens are to die for.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Sierra agrees.

  “Hey, Beca, can you reach my bag?” Shea asks from the other side of the car, pointing to her small purse that fell between the seats.

  “Sure,” I answer as I reach in and retrieve it.

  “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Jillian gasps in awe. “We kept saying we would—”

  “And someone would always cancel. I know. It’s crazy,” Shea interrupts in agreement.

  Sierra reaches for her luggage, but a steward beats her to it. “Please, let me,” he insists.

  “Thank you,” I utter as a group of men in white jackets swarm around the taxi and grab our luggage.

  Putting her arm around me, Sierra says, “Let’s go check in. I want to go to the pool.”

  As we’re being escorted to our villa, I digress to why we’re all here in the first place. We’ve known each other since we were in grade school, staying thick as thieves all the way through senior year. Then, we all went to different colleges. It’s as if we chose the four corners of the United States: Sierra went to Berkeley in California, Shea went to the University of Washington in Seattle, Jillian went to the University of Miami, and I attended NYU. For four years we didn’t see each other at all, relying on quick and awkward phone calls.

  When we finally graduated, no one came home to Connecticut…except me. Everyone else started careers in the states they received their bachelor’s degrees from – or in Sierra’s case, med school.

  We swore we’d get together once a year, but something always came up. One year, Jillian was in Brazil for six months doing research on some rare disease. The next year, Sierra started her surgical rotation and couldn’t get away at all. This is the first time in eleven years I’ve spent more than a few hours with any of them – and never all of us at the same time. Our lives are so busy…It’s a strange feeling – not spending quality time with your closest friends in so long. It’s like they’re strangers, but I can finish their sentences. We really need to make an effort to do this more often.

  The porter jolts me from my nostalgia as he explains the amenities to us, although we already know what to expect. It’s one of the reasons we reserved a villa.

  Butler service.

  Anything and everything at our fingertips, with hotel staff at our beck and call.

  The perfect vacation.

  “Sierra, look at this view!” Shea squeals as we enter the foyer.

  “Isn’t it perfect?” Jillian sighs as she flops down on the couch.

  “Better than perfect,” I agree as I sit across from Jillian.

  “Why don’t we put our things away and go down to the pool. I’d love to grab a drink and relax before dinner,” Sierra instructs as she tips the porter and escorts him out.

  Jillian jumps up from the couch. “Great idea! I want the room over here,” she announces as she sprints across the kitchen toward one of the bedrooms.

  Smiling, I shake my head. I don’t care where I sleep – I’m just glad I’m here with my best friends.

  Jase

  The two pairs of lovebirds head for the beach, but I’m not a sand in my ass kind of guy. I see enough of the tiny pieces of rock when I’m deployed, and I’ve had enough of the grainy shit for a while. The pool, however, is more my speed.

  Calm, chlorinated water.

  Lounge chairs.

  Waiter service.

  But most importantly - scantily clad women within arm’s reach.

  Dressed in a pair of swim trunks and flip-flops, I toss a towel over my shoulder and head toward the pool. The villa has its own private infinity pool, but what’s the fun in that. I need a beer and feel the desire to people watch.

  I find an empty white painted bamboo lounge chair that’s underneath an umbrella closest to the bar, and get comfortable. Even though I don’t like sitting on the beach, the view from my chair is spectacular – the sound of the waves crashing in the distance almost tranquil. The minute I swing my legs up onto the recliner, a group of girls appear as they climb up the boardwalk steps that stretch down to the beach. Four of them to be exact, one prettier than the next. But it’s the redhead I can’t take my eyes off of – scorching red hair that could singe your soul.

  The way the sunlight reflects vibrant hues of amber that flow in gentle, warm curls to her mid-back, give me palpitations.

  She’s a complete knock-out.

  Removing a beach towel from her oversized bag, she lays it across a lounge chair not too far from mine. As she removes her sarong…my heart freezes in my chest and I almost pass out.

  That. Body.

  Damn, it’s rockin’.

  Her body is toned and tan – a perfect hourglass shape that won’t quit.

  She sits, then removes a book from her bag. I follow the movement of her fingers as she slides them up her slender neck. Moving her hair from off her shoulder, she crosses her feet at the ankles and makes herself comfortable.

  I would love that hand to be mine – to see if her skin is as smooth as it looks.

  Fuck, just watching her touch herself makes my dick hard.

  Her eyes hide behind sunglasses as she flips page after page.

  As if she feels my eyes burning a hole on her delicate skin, she glances up toward me. Sliding her sunglasses down her nose, she gazes at me through her long eyelashes. She smiles – the deep curve on her lips making the world stop around her.

  Everything blurs except her.

  I’m frozen, and can’t look away.

  She motions to the empty chair beside her and waves me over.

  Without any hesitation, I grab my towel and stride toward her. As I approach, she puts her book away and sits up. I’m never at a loss for words, but right now I’ve got nothing – so, I go to my arsenal of cheesy pickup lines.

  “I was wondering if you had an extra heart, because mine was just stolen.�
� The filter on my mouth really needs to work a lot faster, because that has to be one of the worst introductions of all time. I cringe, waiting for the inevitable ‘no,’ but she laughs.

  And it’s beautiful.

  “Is that the best you’ve got?” she challenges as she tries to contain her laughter.

  “It’s sad. I know. Honestly, I don’t get out much.”

  Taking off her sunglasses, she shakes her head with a muffled giggle. “I’ve heard worse. I’m Rebecca, but my friends call me Beca.”

  “I’m Jason, but my buddies call me Jase,” I answer as I take her hand, placing a gentle kiss to the back of it. “May I sit?”

  She smiles again, her entire face lighting up like the Fourth of July. “I would hope so.”

  “Beca, we brought you back – whoa! Who’s this?”

  Tearing my gaze from the goddess in front of me, I tilt my head toward the voice of the question. The three other girls who came up with Beca from the beach are standing in front of her chair with gaping jaws.

  “Oh, a frozen tropical drink. Perfect! What is it?” Beca asks the girl holding her drink.

  “I-I’m not sure, but there’s lots of rum in it,” she answers, her awkward stare still locked on me.

  “So, are you going to introduce us?” another girl asks, her right hand on her hip.